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Therapy technician vs technician

The differences between therapy technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a technician has an average salary of $38,045, which is higher than the $28,943 average annual salary of a therapy technician.

The top three skills for a therapy technician include patients, rehabilitation and CPR. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Therapy technician vs technician overview

Therapy TechnicianTechnician
Yearly salary$28,943$38,045
Hourly rate$13.91$18.29
Growth rate24%1%
Number of jobs36,360596,842
Job satisfaction-2
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age4340
Years of experience-2

What does a therapy technician do?

A therapy technician is responsible for supporting therapists in providing the highest quality care services for the patients, administering treatment plans, and guiding patients to full recovery. Therapy technicians also perform administrative duties, such as updating patients' information on the database, monitoring patients' condition, reviewing medical charts, processing payments for therapy procedures, and performing medical examinations under the supervision of medical professionals. They operate various therapy equipment, inspect the performance of the machinery, and ask for maintenance support for repairs or replacement as needed.

What does a technician do?

Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.

Therapy technician vs technician salary

Therapy technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Therapy TechnicianTechnician
Average salary$28,943$38,045
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $37,000Between $24,000 And $58,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASan Jose, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonHawaii
Best paying companySeattle Cancer Care AllianceMicrosoft
Best paying industryHealth CareTelecommunication

Differences between therapy technician and technician education

There are a few differences between a therapy technician and a technician in terms of educational background:

Therapy TechnicianTechnician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common majorKinesiologyBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor-

Therapy technician vs technician demographics

Here are the differences between therapy technicians' and technicians' demographics:

Therapy TechnicianTechnician
Average age4340
Gender ratioMale, 28.6% Female, 71.4%Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%2%

Differences between therapy technician and technician duties and responsibilities

Therapy technician example responsibilities.

  • Perform basic living care for patients and assist with exercises under supervision of a rehabilitation team member.
  • Provide patient assistance with rehabilitation protocol with appropriate education and technique while monitoring vital signs and effects of treatment.
  • Direct patients to need areas with crutches, wheel chairs, walkers, canes etc.
  • Work with the physical and occupational therapists to guide patients through prescribe exercise program efficiently and safely.
  • Prepare materials for assessments and provide assistance to individuals through hands-on methods and direct contact observations by assisting the rehabilitation supervisor.
  • Attend professional development workshops in augmentative communication devices, sign language, and skill integration.

Technician example responsibilities.

  • Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
  • Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
  • Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
  • Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
  • Manage, troubleshot and repair multiple wireless technologies including fiber optic transmission switches.
  • Install peripherals including printers, fax machines, scanners, and smartphones.
  • Show more

Therapy technician vs technician skills

Common therapy technician skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Rehabilitation, 14%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Patient Safety, 6%
  • Occupational Therapy, 5%
  • Physical Therapy, 5%
Common technician skills
  • Patients, 16%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 6%
  • Diagnosis, 5%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 4%

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